Red Wings prospect Mantha seals Memorial Cup berth with late goal

Thomas Drance
May 14, 2014 2:03pm

Ed Mulholland / USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Red Wings draft pick Anthony Mantha, selected with the 20th overall pick at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, finished off an absolute whale of a QMJHL campaign with a clutch late-third period goal Tuesday night. Mantha's game-winner was his 81st goal in 81 QMJHL games this season (regular season and playoffs) and sealed the President's Cup and a Memorial Cup berth for the Val-D'Or Foreurs:

In addition to dominating the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Mantha led Team Canada's U20 team in scoring at the World Junior Championships. Now he'll get an opportunity to lead his team in the Memorial Cup tournament, which opens on Friday in London, Ont.

Red Wings director of Player Development Jiri Fischer discussed Mantha's emergence as one of hockey's most highly regarded prospects on the Red Wings website on Wednesday:

He's taken over the Quebec League In Val d'Or, they have a fantastic power play. In the Subway Series, he played for Team Quebec. He was on the bubble for the Canadian World Junior team, even though he led the Quebec League in scoring by 25 percent more than the next guy at the time.

I saw him play in the Subway Series. In the first game, he had a goal and an assist. The next game, he scored another goal on the power play. Then he makes the World Junior roster and he leads Team Canada in scoring in the tournament....

He's just a big, strong, 6-foot-4 guy who holds on to the puck under pressure in the offensive zone. Month after month, week after week, he just keeps proving that he is a dominant offensive power forward. I'm really excited about him turning pro next year.